The Impressive TimesNew Delhi : Punjab Kings (PBKS) have assured themselves a top-two finish in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 league stage after comfortably defeating Mumbai Indians (MI) in their final group match on Monday, May 26. Chasing a challenging target of 185 runs, PBKS reached the mark with seven wickets in hand and nine balls to spare, thus cementing their place among the tournament’s best teams heading into the playoffs.
The match, played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, saw an impressive batting display from PBKS’ opening pair, Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya. Despite the pitch offering some assistance to bowlers early on, the duo built a crucial 109-run partnership for the second wicket that laid the foundation for victory. Although PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh early in the innings, Priyansh and Inglis stabilized the chase with confident strokeplay.
Mumbai Indians tried to stage a comeback with some key wickets in the middle overs. Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Priyansh Arya for a well-made 62 runs in the 15th over. Spinner Mitchell Santner also struck, removing Josh Inglis shortly after. However, the target was within reach, and PBKS’ middle-order duo, Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera, efficiently steered the team home. Iyer played the finishing touch, smashing a six to seal the win in style.
This victory marks PBKS’ third IPL playoffs qualification, with the team impressively finishing in the top two in all three instances—a testament to their consistency this season.
Earlier in the day, Mumbai Indians posted a competitive total of 184 runs on the back of a sparkling 57 from Suryakumar Yadav (SKY). Yadav, known for his exceptional form, continued to rewrite records in IPL 2025. With this innings, he notched his 14th consecutive score of over 25 runs in T20 cricket, breaking the previous world record held by South African batsman Temba Bavuma, who had 13 such consecutive scores. SKY’s consistent run-scoring has been a highlight of the season and a key reason why Mumbai Indians remained competitive.
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